Garment-stretcher.



No. 633,050. Patented Sept. l2, I899.

* m. L. SPENARD,

GARMENT STRETCHEB.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1899.) 1N0 Model.

lV/TNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT FFICEG GARMENT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 633,050, dated September 12, 1899.

Application filed April 21, 1899. Serial No. 713,951. (No model.)

1'0 rt whom it may concern.-

ie it known that LMAEIE LOUISE SPENARD, a citizen of the United States residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjusters for Applying Dress-Stays; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the -same.

My invention relates to improvements in adjusters for applying dress-stays; and it consists in a means for stretching the seams of dresses to better apply the stays, comprising telescopic rods or bars adapted to be held in proper relation to one another, and means upon the ends of each of the said bars for engaging the dress material,so that when the bars are pulled apart the material will be stretched properly and so held until the stays can be applied.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of my improved adjuster for applying dressstays, the said adjuster being in position on a seam. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal central section through the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the garment-engaging ends.

In applying dress-stays to the seams of garments it has been usual to stretch the seams by means of the hands and then to lay the stays upon the seams, holding the same in a slightly-bowed condition and stitching its edges to the material of the garment. This is a difficult operation to perform and is trying upon the hands and fingers, and it is to avoid the difiiculties arising from this operation that I have constructed my improved adjuster.

In carrying out myinyention I construct my improved adjuster 1 of two telescopic bars or rods 2 and 3. Secured to the rod 2 are guideblocks4 and 5. The guide-blocks is situated, preferably, at the end of the rod 2 and is adapted to slide loosely upon the bar or rod 3. The block 5 is secured to the rod 2 about midway of its length and is also provided with an aperture through which the rod 3 may pass freely. The block 5 also carries a pawl 6,

which is pivotally mounted thereon, one end v of the said pawl being properly shaped to engage a series of ratchet-teeth 7, formed upon the bar 3. In order to hold the pawl 6 into engagement with the ratchet-teeth, I preferably place a spring, as 8, beneath the otherend of the pawl. The rear end of the pawl projects sufficiently far above the casing of the block 5 so that it may be engaged and de pressed by the finger in order to lift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth. It will thus appear that the bars may be spread apart, but that they cannot be drawn together again without lifting the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth. One end of the rod 2 carries a head 9, which is provided with a series of engaging teeth 10. The head 9 is also provided with a finger-engaging projection or guard, as 11, by which the teeth may be held in engagement with the goods of the garment. I One end of the bar 3 is provided with a clamp 12, said clamp being adapted to engage the dress material at the end of the device. The jaws of the clamp 13 and 14: are preferably made of considerable width at their outer ends, and the inner end of the lower clamp 13 tapers down to the size of the bar 3.

The outer edge of the lower clamp 13 is provided with an upturned grippingportion 15, while its edge at the side is also turned up to form gripping portions. The upperjaw 14 is pivotally mounted between the upturned edges of the lower jaw 13, the said upper jaw having its rear end provided with a broad head, as 16, which may be engaged by the thumb or finger to operate the said jaw. The spring 17 is mounted between the jaws in such a manner as to bring their outer gripping edges together normally. The upper jaw is also provided .with side downturned edges to grip the material, the said edges bein g preferably serrated or toothed, as at 18, for obtaining a better grip upon the material placed between the jaws. Projecting ears or finger-grips 19 are secured to the sides of the lower jaw 13.

In using the adjuster for applying a stay to a dress-seam, the parts being in their collapsed or telescoped condition, the teeth 10 of the head 9 are then broughtinto engagement with the seam at one end, while a fold of the goods is placed between the jaws of the clamp at the other end. The finger or thumb is then placed upon the guard 11, while the ears or finger-grips 19 at the other-end are grasped by the fingers of the operator and the bars 2 and 3 are pulled apart, so as to stretch the seam of the garment to the desired extent. The pawl 6 holds the bars in their separate positions and maintains the scam in this stretched condition. may now be placed beneath the adjuster upon the scam and can be easily sewed to the material of the garment. After the stay has been properly secured in place the bars of the adjuster may be collapsed by releasing the pawl 6 from engaging with the ratchetteeth and the adjuster removed from thus eugaging with the goods.

It will be apparent that by the use of my improved adjusters dress -stays can be applied to the seams of garments with great ease and expedition and that the seams can be stretched to the desired extent without the necessity of a difiicultmanipulation of the garment with the bare fingers.

The device is simple in construction and The stay to be appliedv not likely to get out of order easily and can be produced in an inexpensive manner.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

An adjuster for applying dress-stays to garments comprising telescoping bars, means for holding them with relation one another,

one of the said bars having garment-engag- MARIE LOUISE SPENARD.

Vitnesses:

JAMES T. WATSON, JNo. JENswALn, Jr. 

